Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a method for controlling an electric meter on which a module can be mounted, and to an electric meter with a mountable module.
An electric meter is known from Published European Patent Application EP 0 752 589 A1 to have an interior which is subdivided into at least two portions, that are separate from one another. One portion serves to receive components of the measurement mechanism that need to be calibrated, while the other portion serves to hold a display. That separation makes it possible to replace the display if needed, without the necessity of rechecking the calibration of the entire meter.
It is also known that electric meters can be equipped with various accessories, so that the meters can be used in manifold ways. An optical transmission device, for instance, is provided for functional cooperation of the respective accessory with the meter. It is also necessary that the meter be supplied before measurement with the appropriate information as to what type of accessory has been coupled to it, so that it can perform the proper measurement for that accessory.
The method of the prior art is not unproblematic, in the sense that the required information for measurement in conjunction with the accessory must first be input manually into the meter, and incorrect inputs can lead to incorrect measurements.
An electric meter on which a module can be mounted through a bidirectional interface is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,514. There a meter result is read out of the basic counting mechanism into the module.